Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 589 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CO a ee ca gy ee \ {} ; / ) | oo a ee et ee a adrift and scrambled out, carefully holding his weapons and cartridges high above his head, ‘‘Now lve got to walk back to the p’int I aimed fer!” he growled, ‘* They may have come straight acrost. Like enough they didn’t; but in this kind o’ bizness it won’t do to depend on guess-work,” It was a toilsome scramble back along the rocky and precipitous banks, He had drifted at least a half-mile down-stream, and every inch of the shore had to be closely scrutinized. The search revealed that the abductors had not landed anywhere along there, and he hur- ried back to his starting-point, ‘OT war wimmin as fu’st fotched trouble into the world and they’re boun’ not to break the record!” he exclaimed, as he continued on down the stream. Then a reproachful pang shot through him as he recalled the fact that Molly was a woman. ‘*Some wimmin!” he corrected. ‘*‘ An’ come to think on’t I don’t know as it’s the wimmin’s fault. The Lord made’em han’some an’ purty an’ smart an’ put ’em in the way o’ temptation an’ sich; an’ I don’t ‘low they kin rightly be held a’countable fer it, ‘* An’ shen there’s so many all-fired p’izen crit- ters goin’ around in the shape o’ men a-gittin’ the wimmen into trouble, an’ a-abductin’ of ’em an’ a-carryin’ ’em off, that it’s etarnally makin’ trouble fer the men as admires’em an’ tries to love ’em honest,” He pulled his catskin cap over his eyes, as if to shut out these disagreeable thoughts, and picked his way slowly mn down the stream, nar- rowly watching ever wave-washed pebble and every bit of shifting and, The way was so coughand difficult that it took him until mid-afternoon to cover a distance of six miles. ‘*It may be that they jest took to the crick to throw me off the trail,” he mused, as he stopped at a rocky bend to rest and think over the situa- tion, ‘‘P’raps they paddled aroun’ a little, then landed at the startin’-p’int and back-tracked it to town. "Twould be a ruther ’cute trick, an’ li’ble to fool the best 0’ em, ‘*T don’t know as I need to worry ‘bout that, though, long’s Brentwood’s foreman o’ that eend o’ the round-up, Ef they’re a-roostin’ some’eres in the town an’ he can’t diskiver ’em, ’twouldn’t be much use fer me to try. ‘‘Hoe said to come back an’ report when I found anything; but I ain’t found nothin’ yit.” A little further down-stream he discovered an abandoned and leaky boat. ‘* Jest the thing,” he cried, freeing it from the drift in which it had lodged. ‘I’ve been fig- erin’ on gittin’ back acrost this dratted branch or some sime, Mebbe them abducticators landed on the same side they come inat. Ef they did, I want to know it afore goin’ any fur- der down this-a-way.” The boat was so rotten and leaky that it seemed tempting fate to trust one’s self in it. But the Tom-cat was a thoroughly reckless character, when it appeared that anything might bs gained by recklessness. he pushed the boat into the rapid river, using a piece of drift fora paddle, and turned the prow boldly toward the cepter of the cur- rent, Tho water poured in through the crevices in threatening torrents, but he worked heroi- cally at the paddle, and succeeded in landing the leaky craft, when it seemed just on the point of sinking. ‘“oTwar better than a log, anyhow,” he ex- claimed, leaping out and dragging the nose of the boat up onthe sand, ‘‘Tll throw a stun in itto keep it from floatin’ away, an’ let it lay there tell it soaks its sides together. Nobody kin see it in this bend, onless they come huntin’ fur it on purpose.” Having thus anchored the boat to his satisfac- tion, he proceeded up the river, closely scan- ning every little nook and bend where a boat could by any possibility bave been landed. Night found him thus engaged, and forced him to forego the completion of the task until morning. The next day he finished his search up the river, without discovering anything; and then retraced his way to the boat. As he had anticipated the soaking had closed its joints and seams and it was now, in spite of its 7b ae timbers, quite a safe and navigable craft. Crossing init to the other side, he weighted it again with a stone and continued on down the river. Tom-cat and Pard. Hank Hammond, and he was using a pair of oars to assist the rapid current. The Tom-cat could scarcely repress an ex- clamation of surprise. Hammond had not seen him; and he sunk noiselessly out of sight behind a rock, The silver chief seemed only intent on urging his light craft down the stream at as rapid a rate as possible; and looted neither to the right nor to the left. ‘Whoop! Mariar!” The Tom-cat could not restrain these subdued notes of exultation, ‘*Tt’s the ole king-pin hisself. He’s a-goin’ to that ’air hole in the mountains, wharever it is; an’ I’m goin’ along er bu’st!” He hurried after the boat at a surprising rate of speed, considering the difficulties of the way. Of course he could not keep up with the flying skiff; but he managed to hold it in view by making an occasional survey of its position from some rocky prominence, deg and esaw Hammond head in toward shore. Knowing that he intended to land, the cow- boy broke into a wild run that brought him again in sight of Hammond, just as the latter was lifting the boat from the water for the pur- pose of concealing it. When he struck off into the hills the cowboy was hanging to his trail with the persistency of a bloodhound. A forty minutes’ scramble brought them to the cavern, hid away in the busy and lonely cul de sac, Into this pocket the cowboy dared not venture until the kindly twilight brought its protection and shelter, Then he crept forward, penetrated the fringe of bushes and crawled slowly through the mouth of the cave. The cave seemed a net-work of passages branching off from one central chamber; and the Tom-cat was af’a loss how to proceed until the sound of voices guided him, Crawling into the from which the voices came, the light of the declining sun as it sifted in grayly and faintly through some far- away rifts, revealed a startling tacle, Hammond and his band of miscreants were gathered about Lily Edgerton and her lover’; and the latter was being drawn slowly upward by the tightening lariat, Flesh and blood could not stand it, At least not such flesh and blood as the Tom-cat boasted, His revolver was in his hand instantly, A bullet cut the rope above the head of the gasp- ing man; and, with a series of screeches that would have done credit to a tribe of wildcats, he bounded into the chamber. CHAPTER XVII. TIMELY AID, WHEN Fightin red peered under the build- ing, Brentwood shielded his eyes so that their shining might not betray him, ‘*Don’t see nothin’!” said the burly rascal. ‘¢ Must be a badger er a rabbit.” As the ag Spy cts its anxious whining and scratching, Hammond urged his subbordinate to crawl under the building and investigate the matter, This Aghting Fred readily agreed to, for he really believed that some animal had sought refuge under the house. Bold and reckless as he always was, he would not have risked his life by crawling thus upon a concealed enemy, Brentwood almost held his breath when he saw the man place a gleaming knife in his teeth and crawl slowly into the opening, His only safety lay in inducing a continuance of the belief; so he wriggled softly behind the protecting foundation of the chimney, poked his head around the corner and glared at the in- truder. ““T see it!” shouted Fighting Fred, catching the luminous shine of the detective’s eyes in the gloom, ‘It’s some kind o’ a varmint.” Nevertheless, to make sure, he continued his advance toward the chimney, shifting the knife from his teeth to his right hand. When the creeping man reached the base of the. chimney, Brentwood, fearing be would be discovered if he allowed tbe fellow to come fur- ther, pore utterance to the deep and threatening growl of a badger. ‘Nothin’ but a durned badger, jest as I thought!” Fighting Fred cried in disgust, back- ing away from the dangerous locality. ‘‘I don’t keer about havin’ my eyes scratched out ———— eee —EEE ~ - 13: ‘ We're after bigger game than that!” averred’ Hammond, laughing. ‘* Come on out,” Brentwood breathed freer as the investigator” began a retrograde movement that soon carried him from beneath the building. Nevertheless, he did not move until long after the sounds of retreating footsteps had died away. Then he ventured to the opening. After con- vincing himself that the place was deserted, he crept forth. ** Matters are shaping so that no furtber de- lay is allowable!” he argued, as he slipped away in the darkness, ‘‘I must strike at once!” He went direct to John Mitchell’s and aroused the family by a series of vigorous raps. ““Get ready to go with me, Mitchell!” he or- dered, as the old miner came to the door. Then he hastily explained the situation, and’ told of the discoveries of the night. ‘*'We must find this mountain retreat without. further loss of time. Murder may result if the matter is delayed too long. The Tom-cat hasn’t. returned, and we will be forced to act without. him,” Molly plied him with questions and sugges- tions; and considerable time elapsed before the» detective and the miner left the house. ““Those scamps of the Silver Circle went on. into town,” explained Brentwood, as they pro- ceeded up the trail, ‘‘and the chances are that we will find some of them hanging around the saloons and gambling-house. My plan is to cap-- ture one of them, and compel him to lead us to this mountain stronghold.” ‘‘ The very idee!” assented Mitchell, enthusi-- astically. As anticipated, Hammond’s men were found, pretty well distributed among the drinking and gambling dens. Concealing themselves in a dark alley near one of these, they patiently waited for some member of the Silver Circle to make his ap- pearance, Many men passed in and out, but not the ones: they wanted, For more than an hour they stood there, silent and almost motionless. Then. a low-browed individual, with rascal and thief marked all over his repulsive features, came out upon the pavement and turned up the street toward them. All unsuspecting he advanced, passed into the bar of gloom that marked the mouth of the alley, then sunk down in a senseless heap as. suddenly as if stricken by a thunderbolt. The detective had leaped forward and dealt: the fellow a blow on the head that had stunned him into immediate insensibility. “Rather rough ‘treatment!” he said, half-. regretfully, as he bent over the prostrate form. ‘But, [had to doit. It was the only way to keep him from giving analarm. He’s not hurt. seriously, and will be as lively asever in the course of a few minutes. Bear a hand, Mitch- ell, and let’s carry him back. Some of his pals may follow bim and discover us,” Lifting him between them they bore hin» aati up the alley. ‘* Hello! He’s comin’ to!” cried Mitchell almost dropping the man, as a groan escaped: the fellows lips. ‘*T knew he would come around pretty soon!” Brentwood replied, laughing at the old miner’s: startled cry. ‘‘I gave bim quite a little tap, but these gentry generally have heads like iron, Tie his hands and feet, and we'll wait till he revives,” They had lowered the man to the ground while the detective was speaking; and as soom as the cords were oh aga secured and knotted, the detective seated himself in front of their prisoner. At the same time he produced a revolver and held it menacingly at his head, After a few twists and groans, the rascal opened his eyes and tried tositup. The light in the alley was sufficient to reveal the man be- fore him and the threatening revolver, ‘“‘Arrah, now! Phat do yees be meanin’ by this outhrage?” he spluttered. ‘‘Go slow, Mulligan!” warned the detective, thrusting the cold muzzle of the revolver almost into the fellow’s face, ‘‘If you raise that musi- cal voice above a whisper, I’)] pull trigger.” He recognized Brentwood, and cowered and whimpered like a whipped hound. “Tf you'll go along with us quietly, you'll not be hurt! You can walk, but if you try to run or make any outcry Ill not be responsible for the con ences, ntie his legs, John!” Mitchell cast off the rope; and the Irishman arose to his feet when Brentwood gave the com— So much time had been lost in the futile | by a! any furder.” mand. search up the stream that it was now, past noon. mmond and the men outside had also heard ‘*Now move on! Get out your revolver, While thus plodding on, he was_startled by | the threatening growl, and were fully convinced | Mitchell. If he attempts a break we can’t both seeing a light boat shoot past him. 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